Valium / Gabapentin?

There are so many details I could share about my last 18 months of hell -- but the short version is that I'm currently on 12.5 mg of Valium -- which I take in the middle of the night -- after 3 or 4 hours of sleep.  I've been diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder.  (I had a series of three very intense panic attacks in December of 2018 as my friend was dying.)

 

So fast-forward to April, 2020.  I can get to sleep, but can't stay asleep.  2019 was further rocked by a second death and my mom having a stroke -- and that's what basically got me here (after being prescribed Ativan / Zoloft by a man we shall call the "bad psychiatrist").

 

My current psychiatrist (who is a good man -- smart, gentle and he really listens -- and he's taking the taper very slowly) and I have started trying Gabapentin.  I'm taking 600 mg as I go to bed.  I feel like it's helping a bit -- but not much.  And it's weird taking something to "help put me to sleep" when I don't need it.

 

Has anyone had luck with using it?  And how high for dosage?  Sleep is the main thing right now.  But as you all know, it's very, very hard to get off Valium.  As far as lifestyle info -- I do drink a bit (two or three glasses of wine / prosecco a couple of hours before bedtime) -- but I've been doing that for 30 years (I'm 54 years old) -- so that's also not something I can just stop.  I'm a healthy eater and only have one cup of black tea in the morning.  No other caffeine.  I try to get outside and move my body every day.  Of course, while I'm dealing with this, the state of the world is collapsing -- so that does not help.

 

I do not take any pills in the daytime (although the rebound anxiety I get every afternoon makes it very hard not to).  I often take a short nap (if I can).  Even though this sounds counterintuitive for someone with a sleep issue, I've been doing it for years -- and it's never harmed my nighttime sleep.

 

Oh -- and over the past year I was given Zoloft (disaster) , then Trazadone (not good), then Remeron (also not good), and so far the Gabapentin is the only non-benzo that's NOT been a bad experience for me (on it a month so far).  But can it help in the larger picture?  Any thoughts would be so appreciated.....  Thank you!

I see you put the same post on this board and the Other Medications board, are you asking for help tapering the Valium or are you just interested in information about Gabapentin?

Sorry.  Newbie.  I should've just put it on the other board.  Moderator can feel free to remove this one....  As you all know, it's all anxiety-inducing -- even just talking about it....

No worries. 

You've got a lot going on!

 

The alcohol is really not helping you. I'm not saying you wouldn't wake in the night anyway but alcohol is notorious for messing up the second half of sleep. On the gabapentin, it can take upwards of 2 hours to kick in and the duration of effects is quite a while so it's not a bad idea taking it just before bed, if you are going to take it. None of these substances are great for you in the long run but not everything can be resolved overnight. I added gabapentin in because I think that it will get me off diazepam quicker. I take breaks from the gabapentin from time to time, too.

 

It sounds like you're a bit confused about what you want to do. My advice is not to do anything too quickly. But the drinking really isn't doing you any good. If you are looking to make progress, that's where I'd start. The gabapentin can help with that. If you took 300mg earlier in the day instead of drinking and then 300mg before bedtime and stuck to this schedule, I think you would be feeling somewhat better in a month. I wouldn't recommend any other first step.